World First Aid Day: NGO conducting ‘alertathon’

CHENNAI: With the World First Aid Day on September 12, NGO ALERT has been conducting events all through the week.
Apart from conducting online classes, the voluntary non-profit organisation is conducting an online ‘alertathon’, which is a worldwide virtual marathon where participants have to pledge to save a life. It’s on till Sunday.
ALERT founder Kala Balasundaram says the idea is to “evangelise the message of saving lives.”
“We have turned to training people in first aid online,” says Kala.
“We are now running weeklong programmes that incorporates one and half hours of training a day for those interested in becoming first responders,” she says.
“Being trained in first aid and as a first responder is not just about knowing what to do if there is an emergency. It is also about being empowered, in knowing the laws such as the Good Samaritan Law applicable to those injured in road traffic accidents or in other emergency situations,” says Kala.
“During the lockdown, a volunteer’s father collapsed. He rushed him to hospital, but the staff there tried to turn him away saying they were only treating cases of Covid-19, but he showed them his first responder card and was able to speak with confidence on what emergency care was needed at that moment. The training makes you an informed citizen,” says Kala.
Over the years, ALERT has empowered citizens of Chennai from all walks of life. The curriculum developed and delivered by ALERT not only follows international protocols but also weaves them into an Indian context, says Kala. For more info, https://alert.ngo/